Enc.

ADVISORY BOARD ON RADIATION AND WORKER HEALTH

1150 Tusculum Ave 

Cincinnati, Ohio 45226

(513) 533-6825

CHAIRMAN

James M. Melius, M.D., Dr. PH.

 Albany, New York

MEMBERS

Henry Anderson, M.D.

 Madison, Wisconsin

Josie Beach

 Kennewick, Washington 

Bradley P. Clawson

 Rexburg, Idaho

R. William Field, Ph.D. 

 Iowa City, Iowa

David Kotelchuck, Ph.D.

 New York, New York

Richard Lemen, Ph.D.

 Canton, Georgia

James E. Lockey, M.D.

 Cincinnati, Ohio

Wanda I. Munn

 Richland, Washington

John W. Poston, Sr., Ph.D.

 College Station, Texas

David B. Richardson, Ph.D.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Genevieve S. Roessler, Ph.D.

 Elysian, Minnesota

Phillip Schofield

 Bosque Farm, New Mexico

Loretta R. Valerio

 Santa Fe, New Mexico

Paul L. Ziemer, Ph.D.

 Lafayette, Indiana

STAFF

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Theodore M. Katz, MPA

 Atlanta, Georgia

COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT 

Zaida Burgos

 Atlanta, Georgia

June 26, 2015

The Honorable Sylvia M. Burwell

Secretary 

Department of Health and Human Services

200 Independence Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20201

Dear Madam Secretary:

The Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (The Board) has 

evaluated Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) Petition 00217 concerning 

workers at the Westinghouse Electric Corporation (New Jersey) facility in 

Bloomfield, New Jersey, under the statutory requirements established by 

the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act 

of 2000 and incorporated into 42 CFR Sec. 83.13. 

The Board respectfully recommends that SEC status be accorded to: 

“All Atomic Weapons Employees who worked at the facility owned 

by Westinghouse Electric Corp. in Bloomfield, New Jersey, during 

the period from February 1, 1958, through May 31, 1958, or during 

the period from June 1, 1959, through June 30, 1959, for a number 

of work days aggregating at least 250 work days, occurring either 

solely under this employment, or in combination with work days 

within the parameters established for one or more other classes of 

employees included in the Special Exposure Cohort.” 

This recommendation is based on the following factors: 

• Individuals employed at this facility in Bloomfield, New Jersey, 

during the time periods in question worked on the production of 

uranium metal related to nuclear weapons production. 

• The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 

review of available monitoring data, as well as available process 

and source term information for this facility found that NIOSH 

lacked the sufficient information necessary to complete individual 

dose reconstructions with sufficient accuracy for external 

exposures to radiation (with the exception of occupational medical 

X-rays) and for internal radiological exposures to uranium and 

thorium to which these workers may have been subjected during 

the time periods in question. The Board concurs with this 

determination. 

• NIOSH determined that health may have been endangered for 

employees at this facility during the time periods in question. The 

Board also concurs with this determination.
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Based on these considerations and the discussion at the June 9, 2015, Board meeting held by 

conference call, the Board recommends that this class be added to the SEC. 

Enclosed is the documentation from the Board meeting where this SEC class was discussed. 

The documentation includes copies of the petition, the NIOSH review thereof, and related 

materials. If any of these items are unavailable at this time, they will follow shortly.

Sincerely,

[Signature on File]

James M. Melius, M.D., Dr. PH.

Chairman, ABRWH

Enclosure